Drew's Bayshore Bistro

Location:  Keyport, NJ

Type of Food:  Southern Food

Price Range: $20-$30 per entree

Date Frequented: August 31, 2012 (early dinner)

Synopsis:  Jon researched a few restaurants near PNC Bank Arts Center, as we were headed to the Jason Mraz concert last night.  He came across reviews on Yelp for Drew's, and many of the posters Raved about the food.  Jon called in the early afternoon to make a reservation, however there was no answer.  We did not get a call back- we decided to try and get a table without a reservation.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a very friendly hostess staff.  Although they were booked, because it was early, they accommodated us.  Once sat, we were greeted by a nice, but somewhat indifferent server.  Apparently, this restaurant does not have a liquor license and several surrounding diners had brought in there own.  We ordered a bottle of Pellegrino and perused the menu.  There were several appealing choices- very unique, creative and extremely rich-filled with butter, cream or cheese.  Because the choices were somewhat heavy, we decided to order a salad, two appetizers and a side, and go from there.  We chose two specials: the Panzanella Salad that sounded delicious and Fried Green Tomatoes.  I love FGT.  They are amazing, one of my favorite foods ever, and something I have on rare occasions.  We also ordered Voodoo Shrimp, which is the most popular dish on the menu, according to all the reviews and a side of cheesy grits.  The grits were great- creamy, velvety and melt-in-your-mouth good.  The Voodoo Shrimp was a comfort-food size portion- 7 or 8 medium shrimp served on top of a jalapeno cornbread, and drenched in a spicy cream sauce.  The Voodoo Shrimp was decent. Jon thought the dish was great.  I thought it was OK.  The sauce was good but too much.  It soaked the cornbread.  Jon enjoyed the way it was prepared.  Now for the FGT.  The dish was one of the worst I've ever been served in my life- Jon agreed.  The FGTs were cold, soggy, the breading was falling off (although the cold breading has good flavor).  I ate 1/2 a one and Jon tried the other half.  It was simply inedible.  We were so disappointed.  The server didn't recognize that we didn't like it.  Another server took it back and offered to have it taken off.  We did not order anything else and headed to the concert.

Although this restaurant had some potential, it completely missed the mark.

Jon F.I Rating:       C (B+ for potential)
Connie F.I Rating:  C

Pipa

Location: Flatiron District, NY

Type of Food: Tapas/small bites (known for its mixed drinks and tapas)

Price Range: $5-$16;

Date Frequented: August 6, 2010 (lunch)

Jon and I spent the day in the city. There is a very interesting store called ABC Carpet which sells a variety of international products- clothes, jewelry, plates, furniture, etc. The store itself is set up like an upscale flea market- adding to its international flair. Attached to ABC Carpet is a cute restaurant called Pipa. There are two ways to enter Pipa- the street entrance or from ABC. Hung from the bare beamed ceiling are many various extravagent chandeliers-and they are all for sale. It borders on tacky and shabby chic. Additionally, the walls are lined with mirrors in all shapes and sizes. The bar area and front entrance have a wrought iron/silvery decor. There is an interesting ambience that combines brightly lit areas- while other spots are dark and swanky.

We heard through the grapevine that Pipa is well known for its fabulous drinks. As we were there for lunch, we did not have an opportunity to sample these beverages. Jon and I ordered several small plates to share- mushroom croquettes, chicken skewers, gambas al ajillo, and patates bravas.

Jon liked the chicken skewers. The dish was comprised of white meat chicken, which was a touch dry yet seasoned well. If it wasn't for the dryness, it would've been the perfect dish.

Jon and I both loved the mushroom croquettes. They had a rich, mushroomy, potato flavor that melted in your mouth. Crispy on the outside and velvety inside.

We also enjoyed the gambas al ajillo- shrimp simmered in garlic, chiles and oil- ecaudorian style. The portion of shrimp was generous and served with rustic bread which tasted great with the juice from the shrimp.

Jon's favorite part of the meal was the patatas bravas. This is a simple dish comprised of thickly sliced potatoes fried super crisp on the outside, and soft and waxy inside. The mustard mayonnaise dipping suace had a good flavor as well.

4 Tapas was plenty for lunch. Pipa also offers burgers, salads and sandwiches- the table next to us ordered some of these- which looked delicious.

Unfortunately, our server was apathetic and unattentive. The bar was unable to make change for us.

FOOD INVESTIGATOR REPORT

Service rating: C-.

Jon's F.I. Rating: B

Connie F.I. Rating: B-

The Shack

Location: East Lyme, CT

Type of Food: Campy Diner/Nostalgia

Price Range: $7-$14 p/entree (cheap)

Date Frequented: August 20, 2010 (breakfast)

Located in a strip mall, this unassuming eatery serves up a delicious fare. Recommended by a local, Jon and I had a late morning breakfast at The Shack- an old style diner with modern comforts. It offers bright lighting, comfortable seating, and quick and efficient service. Two menus are offered by the host- one for breakfast and one for lunch/dinner- a unique touch. We asked for both and the choices ranged from standard breakfast food, and included original scrambles, breakfast wraps and a variety of homefries (with different fixins'). The lunch/dinner menu included local seafood, chopped steak, burgers, sandwiches, soups and more. Jon and I had a difficult time deciding what to order because so much of it sounded appetizing.

Jon ordered a soda (free refills) and The Sausage Deluxe with a freshly baked blueberry muffin in place of toast. The Sausage Deluxe was an egg scramble with sausage, peppers, onions, eggs, and cheese. Jon was impressed with the fresh ingredients in the dish, especially the vegetables. He also complimented the homefries- not greasy, soft, thick slabs of silky potatoes. He enjoyed the blueberry muffin as well- which was served toasted, butter on the side, except it may have been a touch under-baked.

I had coffee and the Popeye Scramble which was comprised of eggs, swiss cheese, spinach and mushrooms and served with homefries. The coffee was ok- a bit weak, but tasted good. I have very high expectations of diner coffee and the coffee here did not own up. The scramble was very good, albeit being a bit bland. My favorite part of the meal was the fresh, whole leaf baby spinach used in the scramble as opposed to frozen, chopped spinach. If I could change one thing about the dish, it would be less swiss cheese. Jon noticed that the chef neglected to properly squeeze the moisture out of the spinach, leaving the dish slightly watery.

The service was fantastic and far above usual diner service (rushed and harried). I forgot to order my toast without butter- the server brought me a fresh serving immediately and said it was no trouble at all. A++ service.

website: http://www.shackrestaurants.com/

FOOD INVESTIGATOR REPORT

We recommend you check out the Shack for a solid, casual meal.

Jon's F.I. Rating: B+

Connie F.I. Rating: B+

Rachel's Waterside Grill

Location: Freeport, NY

Type of Food: Seafood

Price Range: Lunch $12-$18 p/entree; Dinner: $18-$28 p/entree.

Date Frequented: Aug 13, 2010 for Lunch

Synopsis: We decided to have an impromptu seafood lunch on what turned out to be a lazy Friday afternoon. We ventured down to Freeport, NY for some fresh seafood fare. Of the many restaurant choices on Woodcleft Canal, we settled on Rachel's Waterside Grill. We had dined here once, long ago. Jon had a simply-grilled piece of fresh fish in mind for his meal while I was in the mood for a salad or sandwich. Rachel's does not offer a lunch only menu. When we approached the restaurant, posted by the door was a listing of daily fresh fish. The server who greeted us assured Jon that the kitchen could prepare a simply grilled fish. (none of the fish selections on the menu were offered grilled). We were seated; Jon asked our server for a suggestion on simply grilled fish. She tried to insist that Jon order the breadcrumb coated cod. She also could not grasp the concept of grilled fish. Jon asked her for a suggestion- if there was a good fish to order grilled only. She suggested the codfish. Jon also got a cup of seafood chowder. I ordered the sesame grilled salmon wrap.

The food: Jon's soup was adequate. Main issue with soup- pieces of clams were too large and nearly impossible to chew. However the cream based chowder itself had a nice flavor- it was not overly creamy nor too watery.

Our meals arrived. At first glance, Jon's fish was prepared grilled. The fish itself was thrown on to a pile of rice and vegetables, and had broken apart in several spots. It looked extremely unappetizing. Jon tried it and was disappointed. It had barely any flavor. It was an embarrassment, as Jon pointed out, for the chef to serve such a dish.

My wrap was interesting. The sesame salmon tasted great. Yet, the wasabi mayonnaise overpowered the entire wrap. Instead of using it as a spread for the wrap, as the menu suggested, the cook used it as a dressing for the lettuce in the wrap. I do not like dressing, so I thought perhaps this was the reason I was turned off. Jon tasted it and had the same complaint- dressing killed the wrap.

The service was decent and upon seeing that Jon did not touch his fish, the server requested the manager take it off the bill, which was extremely professional.

Jon's F.I. Rating: C-

Connie'r F.I. Rating: C

Welcome to Undercover Gourmet

My name is Connie; my boyfriend is Jonathan. I am an attorney and Jonathan is a full time poker player. We reside in NY, and we travel many times a year. Among other things, Jon is a wonderful cook, and together we have developed a passion for good food and beverage. During our travels, we have had some wonderful as well horrific, food encounters. We have joked that we are unofficial food critics, undercover, going from place to place, secretly evaluating the food at each location. Jon and I make an interesting undercover investigation team- I am over critical and choosy while Jon has an air of understated pretention combined with unwavering objectivety. This blog will be a collaboration of our experiences, both good and bad.

Here, we will document our findings. Our reviews will include mostly restaurants and bars, however, we will also examine gourmet supermarkets, farmers markets, coffee houses, chains, fast food, wine, and so on. Anyone who wants to create an entry and blog about their food experiences are welcome to do so. Jon and I will grade each venue as A B C D or F. I will categorize them by geographical location for our readers.

As an attorney, I feel it absolutely necessary to issue the following disclaimer: we do not, in any way, or form, represent ourselves as official food critics. The contents of this blog remain a matter of opinion by the authors, albeit a strong opinion, however should not be construed as facts, in any way.

In the upcoming blogs, we will review: (1) Pipa-NYC; (2) Trader Joe's- trans-states; (3) Rachel's- Freeport, NY; (4) Naked Fish-Las Vegas; (5) Continental- Philadelphia; and (6) Grand Lux Cafe- trans-states.

We hope you enjoy our revews and we look forward to your input!

Truly yours:
Connie, F.I.; Jonathan, F.I.*

*(F.I. = food investigator)